Means for decorating textiles



April l, 19.41., A A Q GROMM 2,237,179 Y MEANS FOR DECORATING TEXTILES Alexmzdef Q01-@fren BY l ATT

ORNEY April l, 1941. A. G. GROMM MEANS FOR .DECORATING TEXTILES Filed Sept. 28, 1939 2 Sheets-*Sheet 2 INVENTOR', Alerafzderromm Patented Apr. 1, 1941 lomi-131D STATES PA'IENT OFFICE' MEANS FOR. DECORATING TEXTILES Alexander G. Gromm, New York, N. Y. Application September 28, 1939, Serial No. 296,889

10 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a means for decorating textiles and other materials.

The invention has for an object lthe const-ruction of a mechanism for decorating textiles and other materials operating in accordance with a certain predetermined method and adapted to apply ink, or the like upon Itextile material controlled .with a stencil, or to apply adhesive material on the .textile so that subsequently powdered or iiaked material may be deposited thereon and pressed into position.

Still further the invention proposes ,the construction of a device as mentioned which is characterized Aby several each of which is substantially identical to each other and each of which is adapted to create a different color or a dierent design upon the textile.

Still further the invention proposes to characterize the device by an endless conveyer a-rranged to selectively carry the ltextile material from onev y unit to the other.

Another object of this invention is a novel arrangement of a stencil and linking or liquid applying means, associated with an air su-pply in a certain way so that the air may blow ink or liquid from the stencil upon the textile material to produce the decorating referred to.A

Still further the invention proposes the construction of a device as mentioned which is simple Vand durable and which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: p

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a mechanism for decorating textiles in accordance with Ythis invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged longi-tudinal sectional view of the left hand portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken on the line I-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 .of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the endless conveyer.

Fig. I is a schematic perspective view of one of the air distributors used in the device. f

wheels 'I'he device for decorating fabrics or other materials ini accordance with this invention includes a frame I0 supporting an endless conveyer II having fabric or other holding elements I2 thereon, and adapted to slightly stretch if practical and hold fabric or other material moved by the conveyer. More speciiically the endless conveyer II comprises several endless bands which are mounted upon wheels I3 mounted on shafts It supported upon the frame I0. At the front end of the device there is a shaft I5 which supports I6 spaced closer together .than `the wheels I3.

The endless bands engage over the Wheels as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 6 in a way so that when the textile material I3 is engaged upon the endless conveyer at a. .point near the Wheels I6, the gripping elements I2 of the endless conveyer, which comprises a pluralityL of fine outwardly projecting wires or pins, will grip the textile material and stretch the textile material as it is advanced by -the conveyer. This is particularly so since the textile material when placed upon the endless conveyer at a point near the Wheels I6, moves towards the /Wheels I3 and there is a separating of theendless bands of the endless conveyer'due to the fact that the Wheels I3 are spaced further apart than the'wheels I6. JAs illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6 there are several groups of Wheels I3 mounted upon` the frame I0. The last group of wheels I3 -is arranged at the rear end of the frame I0. v

A means is provided for driving the endless conveyer, and this' means includes a wheel I'I mounted upon one of the shafts I4 and engaged by a belt I8 which engages over a pulley I3 of an electric motor 20. Each of the wheels I3 and I6 preferably have teeth engaging suitable openings in the endless elements II which may be achain so that all of the wheels I3 will rotate during the operation of the conveyer and assist in properly supporting the conveyer.

The decorating device has -a plurality of substantially identical units for applying more than one color or substance upon the textile material.

In Fig. 1 three uni-ts have been illustrated. Each of these uni-ts is constructed as follows:

A hollow cylindrical perforated or porous stencil 2l is rotatively supported transversely of the endless conveyer I I preferably by being mounted vupon a hollow cylindrical porous drum 22 preferably made of line wire mesh material. A means is provided for rotating the stencil 2| and this means is Synchronized with the operation of the endless conveyer. This fneans includes toothed o wall 42h. A member 42cextends annular members 23 mounted upon end portions of the cylindrical screen 22 and meshing with sprocket wheels 23' mounted upon a shaft 24 which is rotatively supported at its ends in blocks 25.

The blocks 25 are vertically adjustably mounted on the frame III. This is accomplished by several adjustable screws 23 rotatively connected with the blocks 25 and threadedly eng-aging stationary members 21 mounted upon the frame I9. A wheel 28, see Fig. 5, is the shaft 24. A belt 29 engages over this wheel 28 and over another wheel 39 resiliently supported on the frame I Il. The belt 29 engages over a wheel 3| on a shaft 32- rotatively supported on the frame I6. The shaft 32 is provided with another wheel engaged by fthe belt 34 extending downwards and engaging over a pulley 35 which is mounted on a shaft 36 connected by .beveled gears 31 with one of the shafts I4. 'Ihe shaft 36 is suitably rotatively supported on standards 38. The wheel 30.15 mounted upon a block 39 which is slidably mounted in an opening 40 in the body I0. A spring 4I acts to resiliently urge the block ss in one direction so as to keep the ben 2s tight. A tray 42 is provided for ink or other liquid material which is to be deposited upon the stencil, and then thereafter transferred to the textile material, in accordance with the marking or design on the stencil. The tray 42 comprises a hollow body having end walls 42 and a back across the front open side of the tray 42. 'Ihis member 42c has felt or other packing material 43 mounted upon its ends and engaging the end walls 42, for preventing the ink or liquid material from running out of the tray.

The member 42 is xedly mounted on a shaft` 44 which is turnably mounted in block 45 ,longitudinally adjustably mounted on ythe frame I6. More particularly each block 45 is vertically engaged by a screw 46 extending longitudinally on the frame and rotatively supported in'arms 41 of a bracket 48 which are mounted on the frame I0. 'I'he screw 46 has a head 46I by which it may be conveniently turned to move the shaft 44 forwards and rearwards, and consequently the parts connected with the shaft. It is pointed out that the shaft 44 engages through the end walls 42a of the tray so that the tray will be moved along with the shaft. A doctor blade 50 mounted upon one end of counter-pressure roller 59 also assists in rotatively supporting the stencil 2|.

An air supply 69 is connected with each end of a pipe 6| having an air discharge slot 6Il in its top and extending through an outer pipe 6Ib which extends through the bottom portion of the stencil 2| and has an elongated discharge nozzle 62 capable of discharging a stream'of air completely across the longitudinal line of the stencil 2|. This pipe 6| is supported in blocks 63 which are adapted to be moved. More specifically the blocks 63 engage in openings 64 in the body I0. Screws 65 threadedly engage through portions 66 of the body I0 and rotatively connect with each block 63. 'I'his arrangement permitsthe pipe 6I to be adjusted upwards and downwards to control the distance between the discharge end of the nozzle 62 and the stencil 2| The air supply is controlled with a valve 60a. The pipe 6Ib has closed ends 6|bb fixedly mounted on the pipe; 6|.

A housing 66 is located immediately to the rear of the -stencil 2| and this housing is xedly mounted on the body I0. The housing 66 has aghinged cover 61 which permits access to the interior. Within the housing there is a container 68 which also has a hinged cover 69. Within this container there is a mixer 10 and at the bottomof the container there is a distributor drum 1| having a plurality of peripheral grooves 12. The lower end of the container 60 has a transverse opening 13 along its entire width. l

The container 68 is adapted to hold powdered or aked decorating materials or flaky materials.

The mixer 10 is mounted upon a shaft 14 provided with a pulley 15 which is driven by-a belt 16 engaging over a pulley 11 mounted on a shaft 18 which supports the distributor 1I. 'Ihe shaft 18 is provided with another pulley 19 engaged by the belt 80 engaging over a wheel 8| mounted on the shaft 36. The arrangement is such that during the operation of the decorating device rotations from the shaft 36 will be transmitted to rotate the distributor 1I and the mixer 10; This will cause discharging of quantities of the materials from the container transversely across the top face of thetextile material I3.

is provided for keeping the y surface of the stencil 2| clean and is mounted upon the bottom portion of' engages against a longitudinal line of the stencil 2|. A radial arm 5| is connected with the shaft 44 and supports a weight 52 which is adjustably mounted along the radial arm so that the pressure of the doctor blade 56 against the' stencil 2| maybe controlled.V

'I'he stencil 2| is rotatively supported by the fact that it rests upon rollers 53 and 54 which `are mounted on opposite sides along the bottom portion of the stencil, and these rollers 53 and 54 are supported by shafts 55 which rotatively engage in bearing. blocks 56 vertically slidably mounted in openings 51 formed in the body I0. Adjustment screws 58 are rotatively connected with the blocks 56 and threadedly engage stationary portions of the body I0 so that it is possible to adjust the vertical positionv of thel rollers 53 and 54. A counter-pressure roller 59 is mounted upon the shaft 24 and acts against the inner face of the stencil immediately adjacent the edge of the doctor blade 50. This the member 42 and 'ranged in two groups. One

'I'here are a plurality of pressure rollers '82 ar- Eroup is disposed be neath the textile material I3 and the other group upon the textile material. One of these groups of rollers 83 has each roller rotatively mounted in a block 83 which is adjustably supported in an opening 64 of a bracket 85. Adjustment screws l 86 and compression springs 81 are arranged to tension the -top group of rollers 82 upon the bottom group. In this way a suitable pressure may be obtained to press the material discharged from the container 68 upon the textile material Immediately to the rear of the pressure rollers 82 there is a vacuum device capable of lifting up loose particlesfrom the textile material. 'I'his vacuum device has an inlet 88 extending completely across the width of the textile material I3. 'I'he inlet, connects with a suction fan which is capable of discharging into a container '99. This container 88 has an opening 9| through i which theair may escape. The container 99 is adapted to accumulate the picked up particles.

The operation of the device is as follows: 'I'hestencil 2| is cut with a predetermined design or marks. Textile material I3 to be decorated is engaged upon the endless conveyer at a point near the wheels I6. The endless conveyer directly causes rotations of the shaft 36.

Rotations from the shaft 30 are transmitted to rotate each of the shafts 24. As the shafts 24 turn the wheels 423 thereof, will cause the stencils 2I to revolve. The stencils 2l will be inked from ink or other liquid materials from the trays 42 discharging upon the tops of the stencils. The doctor blades 5 will wipe olf the stencils permitting the right quantity of ink to remain thereon. Compressed air will discharge from the nozzles 62 to blow the ink from the bottom portions of the stencils through the stencils and upon the textile material |3 As these inked portions of the textile material reach the containers 68, they will be powdered with the powder or other material from the containers. The distributors 1l control the discharge of the powdered or aked material upon the textile material. This powdered or naked material will be pressed tight upon the inked or liquid wetted material on the textile, by the pressure rollers 82. The loose powdered material will be lifted up from the textile material by the suction device 88, 89, etc.

Each'decorating unit of the device operates in substantially the same way except when the first `unit applies one decoration, the second adds to the decoration, and the third adds still further. In this way when the textile material leaves the decorating machine it is decorated with several I colors or several kinds of decorative materials.

Each tray 42 and doctor blade 50 may be adiusted forwards or rearwards relative to the stencils 2| to better control the distribution of ink or liquid material upon the stencils.

` AEach pressure roller 59 may be vertically ad justed so that there is proper pressure in conjunction with the doctor blade for the correct applying of ink or liquid material. Each of the rollers 53 and 54 may be vertically adjusted for raising or lowering the stencil 2l in relation to the doctor blade 50. Each of the airdischarge pipes 6I may'also be adjusted vertically for controlling the distances between the nozzles 62 and the bottom portions of the stencils.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States -Letters Patent is:

l. In a means for decorating textiles. an endless conveyor, fabric holdingelements on 'said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said vconveyor and 'spaced from the top face of. said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink or other fluid material to fill the porous openings of said stencil, an air supply, a pipe ings located above said fabric onto said fabric for transferring the design of said stencil to said fabric.

2. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively-supported transversely of said conveyor and spaced from the top face of said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink or other fluid material to ll the porous openings of said stencil, an air supply, a pipe extended through said stencil and connected with said air supply, and an elongated discharge nozzle .formed on said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the fluid material from the porous open-y ings located above said fabric onto said fabric for .transferring the design of said stencil to said fabric, said hollow cylindrical stencil being supported by a hollow cylindrical porous supporting element.

3. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material -placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor and spaced from the top face of said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink or other uid material to ll the porous openings of said stencil, an air supply, a'pipe extended through said stencil and connected with said air supply, and an elongated discharge nozzle formed on' said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the fluid material from the porous openings located above said fabric onto said fabric for transferring the design of said stencil to said a transmission system connected to said conveyor extended through said stencil and connected with A said air supply, and an elongated discharge nozzle formed on said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the iiuid material from the porous openand said gear for driving said annular member when said conveyor moves.

4. In a means for decorating textiles, an .endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor and spaced from the top face of said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink or other fluid material to fill the porous openings of said stencil, an air supply, a pipe extended through said stencil and connected with said air supply, and an elongated discharge nozzle formed on said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the uid material from the porous openings located above said fabric onto lsaid fabric for transferring the design of said stencil to said fabric, and means for holding said pipe in various Vvertical adjusted positions to change the space between said stencil and said nozzle to vary the operative force of the discharging air.

5'. In a means for decorating textiles,'an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric'material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor and spaced from the top face of said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink or other fluid material to ll the porous Aopenings of said stencil. an air supply, a pipe extended pipe, blocks supporting the ends of through vsaid stencil and connected with said air supply, and an velongated discharge nozzle formed on said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the fluid material from the porous openings located above said fabric onto said fabric for transferring the design of said stencil to said fabric, and means for holding said pipe in various vertical adjusted positions to change the space between said stencil and said nozzle to vary the operative force of the discharging air, comprising a vertical frame extending along the ends of said said pipe and slidably supported on said frame, and screws having their intermediate portions threadedly engaged through a stationary portion of said frame and having their free ends bearing against said blocks.

6. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a.hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor and spaced from the top face of said fabric material, means for rotating said stencil synchronized with said conveyor, means for supplying ink of said stencil, an air supply, a 'pipe extended through said stencil and connected with said air supply, and an elongated discharge nozzle formed on said pipe and directed downwards for blowing the fluid material from the porous openings 1ocated above said fabric onto said fabric for transferring the design of said stencil to said fabric, said pipe, comprising an inner pipe section directly connected to said air supply and having an cil rotatively supported transversely of said con-- veyor, means within said stencil for blowing ink or other uid material from said stencil onto said fabric, a tray forv ink or other fluid material 'mounted longitudinally of said stencil, a counter pressure roller located,within said stencil urging said stencil against said tray, and a doctor blade engaging a longitudinal line of said stencil and controlling the iiow of liquid from said tray to illl the porous openings of said stencil.

8. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conor other fluid material to fill the porous openings veyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor, means within said stencil for blowing ink or other fluid material from said stencil onto said fabric, a tray for ink or other uid material mounted longitudinally of said stencil, a counter pressure roller located within said stencil urging said stencil against said tray, and a doctor blade engaging a longitudinal line of said stencil and controlling the flow of liquid from said tray to ll the porous `openings of said stencil, said tray, comprising a hollow tray having end walls and a back wall, and a member extending between the front edges of said end walls.

9. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conveyor, means within said stencil for blowing ink or other uid material from said stencil onto said fabric, a tray for ink or other uid material mounted longitudinally of said stencil, a counter pressure roller located withinvsaid stencil urging said stencil against said tray, and a doctor blade engaging a longitudinal line of said stencil and controlling the ow of liquid from said tray to illl the porous openings of said stencil, said tray,

.comprising a hollow tray having end walls and a back wall, and a member extended between the front edges of said end walls, said doctor blade being mounted on the bottom of said member.

vl0. In a means for decorating textiles, an endless conveyor, fabric holding elements on said conveyor for holding and stretching fabric material placed thereon, a hollow cylindrical porous stencil rotatively supported transversely of said conr` veyor, means within said stencil for blowing ink or other fluid material from said stencil onto said fabric, a tray fory ink or other fluid material mounted longitudinally of said stencil, a counter pressure roller located within said stencil urging said stencil against said tray, and a doctor blade engaging a longitudinal line of said stencil and controlling the flow of liquid from said tray to lill the porous openings of said stencil, and means for vertically adjustably supporting said counter pressure roller to vary the pressure with which said stencil will be engaged against said tray.

ALEXANDER G. GROMM. 

